Authoring package files

ABSTRACT

Various embodiments described herein include systems, methods, software, and data structures of and for authoring and presentation of package files. Some such embodiments include instantiating a package file and receiving a presentation specification to include in the package file, the presentation specification displayable within a media playing application to provide a representation of display elements defined in the package file. Such embodiments may further include receiving content files, defining display elements for each content file, and associating each content file with a respective display element. A package file may then be generated, published, and/or displayed as a function of the presentation specification.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialthat is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent documentor the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and TrademarkOffice patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrightrights whatsoever. The following notice applies to the software and dataas described below and in the drawings that form a part of thisdocument: Copyright 2008, Adobe Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Electronic documents (e.g., page description language documents) andother electronic content have become increasingly pervasive as the useof electronic computer systems and networks (e.g., the Internet) havegrown. Increasingly, collections or bundles of electronic content arebeing generated and made available on electronic computer systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitation inthe figures of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a user interface illustration, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 2 is a user interface illustration, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a hierarchical presentation specification,according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a pseudo code listing of a page description language document,according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 5 is block diagram of logical portions of a system, according to anexample embodiment.

FIG. 6 is block diagram of logical portions of a system, according to anexample embodiment.

FIG. 7 includes block diagrams of various page description languagedocuments, according to example embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a logical block diagram of a presentation specification,according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a user interface illustration generated as a function of apresentation specification, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a user interface illustration generated as a function of apresentation specification, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a user interface illustration generated as a function of apresentation specification, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a user interface illustration generated as a function of apresentation specification, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a user interface illustration generated as a function of apresentation specification, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a user interface illustration generated as a function of apresentation specification, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a user interface illustration generated as a function of apresentation specification, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a user interface illustration generated as a function of apresentation specification, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a user interface illustration generated as a function of apresentation specification, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a user interface illustration generated as a function of apresentation specification, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a user interface illustration generated as a function of apresentation specification, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a user interface illustration generated as a function of apresentation specification, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a user interface illustration generated as a function of apresentation specification, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a user interface illustration generated as a function of apresentation specification, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a user interface illustration generated as a function of apresentation specification, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 24 is a block flow diagram of a method, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 25 is a block flow diagram of a method, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 26 is a block flow diagram of a method, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 27 is a block flow diagram of a method, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 28 is a block flow diagram of a method, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 29 is a block flow diagram of a method, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 30 is a block flow diagram of a method, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 31 is a block flow diagram of a method, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 32 is a block flow diagram of a method, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 33 is a block diagram of a computing device, according to anexample embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown byway of illustration specific embodiments in which the inventive subjectmatter may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficientdetail to enable those skilled in the art to practice them, and it is tobe understood that other embodiments may be utilized and thatstructural, logical, and electrical changes may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the inventive subject matter. Suchembodiments of the inventive subject matter may be referred to,individually and/or collectively, herein by the term “invention” merelyfor convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope ofthis application to any single invention or inventive concept if morethan one is in fact disclosed.

The functions or algorithms described herein are implemented inhardware, software or a combination of software and hardware. Thesoftware comprises computer executable instructions stored oncomputer-readable media such as memory or other type of storage devices.Further, described functions may correspond to modules, which may besoftware, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. Multiplefunctions are performed in one or more modules as desired, and theembodiments described are merely examples. The software is executed on adigital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit(ASIC), microprocessor, or other type of processor operating on asystem, such as a personal computer (PC), server, router, or otherdevice capable of processing data, including network interconnectiondevices.

Some embodiments implement the functions in two or more specificinterconnected hardware modules or devices with related control and datasignals communicated between and through the modules, or as portions ofan ASIC. Thus, the exemplary process flow is applicable to software,firmware, and hardware implementations.

Collections of content files may be bundled into a package file andpresented in various ways. For example, considering page descriptorlanguage documents, simple lists or as links for each content file of apackage files may be presented within page description languagedocuments, such as PDF documents. Although such presentation methodsprovide access to the packaged files, various embodiments described andillustrated herein provide more interactive ways to author and presentpackage files. Some embodiments provide mechanisms by which richdescriptions of content files within a package may be presented,allowing a viewer to identify if particular content files are relevantfor a particular need without even opening the particular content files.Some embodiments may allow a viewer to select a mode of presentation ofa packaged file. Some embodiments allow content authors to includegraphics, audio, moving images and videos, and views of package fileswithin a presentation specification to provide graphical representationsof content files included in package files. As an ancillary benefit,presentation specifications may be utilized to include brandinginformation, such as company logos, information, product illustrations,and the like in an interactive presentation. In some furtherembodiments, a content file, or other element of a package file mayoptionally be linked to at another storage location, such as on anetworked server.

In some embodiments, a view of a collection or group (e.g., package) ofcontent files may be presented in a user interface using a customizablenavigation template, which is referred to herein as a presentationspecification. A presentation specification may be an object adapted topresent one or more views of a package file. The views presented by apresentation specification may be user interactive and may include anyof still images, animations, video, audio, and other forms of media. Insome embodiments, a presentation specification may include uniquepackage branding (e.g., a package of files delivered by a company may bebranded using that company's branding). Some such embodiments aresupported by the creation and visualization of metadata regarding thecontent files included in a package file. For example, the content filemetadata may be automatically determined, such as file type, creationdate, length etc., or it may also be user inputted, such as commentaryand notes regarding the package as a whole or the individual contentfiles included therein. In some embodiments, the metadata isindependently embedded within the package file. In other embodiments,the metadata is embedded within content files packaged within thepackage file. The metadata, in some embodiments, may include location(e.g., geospatial) data associated with each content file and abackground or reference image or animation upon which content files areto be displayed as a function of the location data.

Multiple presentation specifications may also be defined for a commonpackage file. In addition, presentation specifications may be madeavailable for package file views. For example, a particular company maypublish a number of presentation specifications for various packagefiles that are typically assembled by that organization, each of thesepresentation specifications including a custom navigation template andorganization-specific branding.

In one example embodiment, a user interface of a presentationspecification may be presented as columns, each column being dedicatedto a particular content file in the package file, including metadataregarding a respective content file of the package file. In anotherembodiment, relationships between content files and the package file maybe indicated. For example, a map may be created which indicates certainrelationships that exist between content files in a package file.

Package files may be authored in several ways. Some embodiments provideuser interfaces that may be manipulated to select one or morepresentation specifications to include in a package file, to set variousoptions, to define metadata, and to attach or otherwise associatecontent files with a package, such as via linking to content filesaccessible over a network. Some other embodiments provide mechanismsthat may be used in a drag-and-drop fashion where a user may selectcontent files to be packaged, such as in a file explorer-type userinterface of an operating system, and drag-and-drop the content filesinto a package file user interface item, such as an icon. The user maythen select one or more presentation specifications for use indisplaying a representation of the content files. These and otherembodiments are described in detail below.

FIG. 1 is a user interface 100 illustration, according to an exampleembodiment. The user interface 100 illustrates a view of a package filepresented according to a presentation specification. The view of thepackage file includes a presentation of three content files created fora recipient. The presentation specification, when instantiated in theuser interface 100, includes a header 102, a body including threecolumns 104, 106, 108, and a footer including an image 122. The packagefile, in some embodiments, is a page description language document, suchas a PDF document.

The header 102, in this embodiment, includes a graphic of an entity(e.g., company, organization, or person) of origin of the package file.The graphic is instantiated from an image file that may also be packagedwithin the package file. However, in some embodiments, the image filemay be referenced by an Internet address in metadata of the presentationspecification. Thus, in the event the entity of origin modifies itsimage file, an updated image file may be stored to the Internet addressand subsequent views of the package file using the presentationspecification will display the modified image file.

The columns 104, 106, 108 of the body portion of the user interface 100include a column for each of three content files, such as documents,included in the package file. The columns, in the example embodiment,each include a title 110, 114, 118 and a description 112, 116, 120. Thetitles and descriptions provide information to a viewer about a contentfile that may be viewed by selecting a respective column 104, 106, 108.For example, a user may desire to view information regarding the user'sauto insurance policy. The user in such an example would select the leftmost column 104, such as by clicking a mouse on the column. Such aselection, in some embodiments, may cause the underlying content file tobe displayed, such as in the user interface 200 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a user interface 200 illustration, according to an exampleembodiment. The user interface 200 presents the auto insurance policyinformation content file that is referenced by metadata underlying theleft most column 104 of the user interface 100 in FIG. 1. The userinterface 200 includes a header 202 and a body 204. The header 202 inthis embodiment includes the same image file of the header 102 in theuser interface 100 of FIG. 1. However, this image file need not be thesame. This user interface 200 may be defined in a manner completelyindependent of other user interfaces which may be configured to displayother content files included a package file. However, each of thecontent files underlying the columns 104, 106, 108 of the user interface100 of FIG. 1 may be configured for display in the user interface 200.The body 204 is an area within which a selected content file may bedisplayed. The pane in various embodiments may be utilized to presentvarious content file types such as documents, video, images, text, andother file and media types.

The user interfaces 100 and 200 of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are merely examplesof presentation specifications (e.g., in the form of a page descriptionlanguage document and/or executable code or scripts) that may becreated, linked, and packaged together by developers and users. Furtherexamples of presentation specifications are illustrated and describedwith regard to FIG. 3 and further with regard to FIG. 9 and severalfigures that follow. Note though that the only real limits on what suchuser interfaces may look like and how they may behave and be linked arerelative to the scope of the presentation specification developer'simagination.

For example, FIG. 3 is an illustration of a hierarchical display elementpresentation specification 300, according to an example embodiment. Sucha hierarchical display element presentation specification 300 mayinclude multiple display elements which may be expanded and contractedby a viewer in a hierarchical fashion when instantiated within a readerand/or player application. Such a hierarchical display elementpresentation specification 300 is therefore viewer interactive.

The example hierarchical display element presentation specification 300includes a top-level display element 302 and multiple lower leveldisplay elements 304. In some embodiments, although the display elementsmay be at different levels in the hierarchy, each display element mayinclude identical data elements. For example, the data elements of eachdisplay element, such as in the illustrated data structure 306 and datastructures of other presentation specifications, may include:

-   -   a display element name;    -   a reference to a parent display element;    -   a reference to a content file within a package file;    -   referenced content file properties, such as file name, size,        type, created date, and modified date;    -   one or more icons or other images that may be used to represent        the referenced content file within the presentation        specification when instantiated;    -   a description of the referenced content file; and    -   a location in which to display the reference content file within        the presentation specification.        In other embodiments, there may be fewer or greater numbers of        data elements and the data elements may be different depending        on what is specified by a presentation specification developer.        Some or all of these data elements may be displayed within a        respective display element, column, presentation specification        hot spot, or other location specified within a presentation        specification. In further embodiments, the display element 304        may be representative of a folder including further content        files and/or folders therein. The display element 304, in such        embodiments, may be associated with a second presentation        specification. Thus, when the display element 304 is selected,        the view presented will be achieved through instantiating a view        of the second presentation specification.

FIG. 4 is a pseudo code listing 400 of a page description languagedocument, according to an example embodiment. The page descriptionlanguage document, in this embodiment, is a package file and includesfive content files packaged therein. The five packaged content filesinclude a presentation specification in 2.0 OBJ, packaged content files1, 2, and 3, and an image file in 6.0 OBJ that is referenced in thepresentation specification, 2.0 OBJ. The pseudo code listing 400includes a call to a presentation specification, 2.0 OBJ. In someembodiments, when a page description language document includes apresentation specification, the presentation specification isinstantiated upon opening the page description language document.

A data structure of a presentation specification that may be included ina package file may include metadata associating each of one or morecontent files within a page description language document to apresentation display element of the presentation specification. However,in some embodiments, the metadata may define display elements to beinstantiated by the presentation specification. A presentation displayelement may or may not be a hierarchical presentation display element.The data structure of the presentation specification may further includedata defining a package file presentation header to be presented with acontent file when selected within a page description language readerapplication for display, such as is illustrated in FIG. 2. In someembodiments, the presentation specification also includes instructionsexecutable within an environment of the page description language readerapplication, or other application depending on the file type of thepackage file, to cause the presentation specification to be instantiatedand displayed within a graphical user interface of the application. Insome embodiments, the instructions may also be executable to modify anappearance of the displayed presentation specification in response toone or more events, such as a user clicking a mouse on a displayelement, a hover event of a mouse over a displayed element, or otherevent.

FIG. 5 is block diagram of logical portions of a system, according to anexample embodiment. FIG. 5 includes one or more presentationspecifications 522 and optional elements 524 that may be selected andmanipulated utilizing an application 500 to author a package file 526.The application 500, in some embodiments, is a page description languagedocument authoring application that includes further modules thatfacilitate authoring of the package file 526. Such modules may include apackage editing module 502, a first player application or plug-ininstance 504, a package host module 514, and a second player applicationor plug-in instance 512. The first and second player applications orplug-in instances 504, 512 may be identical instances of an applicationsor plug-in, such as the FLASH® Player plug-in available from ADOBESYSTEMS INCORPORATED of San Jose, California. However, in otherembodiments, one or both of the first and second player application orplug-in instances 504, 512 may include one or more other mediapresentation applications or plug-ins capable of presenting media, suchas images, animations, still and moving images, audio, and/or othermedia formats. Examples of such applications and plug-ins may includeSILVERLIGHT® available from MICROSOFT CORPORATION and QUICKTIME®available from APPLE, INC.

The package editing module 502 and the package host module 514 areapplications encoded according to a format of the respective playerapplications or plug-ins 504, 512 upon which they operate. In someembodiments, the package editing module 502 is operable within theplayer application/plug-in 504 to provide user interfaces that allow apackage file 526 author to select one or more presentationspecifications 522 and one or more optional elements 524 and to specifyproperties and enter other data into the package file 526. The packagehost module 514 is operable within the player application/plug-in 512 todisplay the package file 526 in a player mode and in an authoring mode.While in the player mode, the packages host module 514 is operable toallow a user to interact with a displayed package file 526 according toa presentation specification 522. While in the authoring mode, thepackages host module 514 is operable to reflect changes made to thepackage file 526 by the package editing module 502.

Changes made to the package file 526 via the package editing module 502are communicated to the package host module 514 via a bridge layer 506.The bridge layer 506 may be an interface in the form of a ApplicationProgramming Interface (API) that provides mechanisms by which datarepresentative of data within the package file 526 and changes made tothe package file 526 may be moved and may flow between the package hostmodule 514 and the package editing module 502. For example, when thepackage editing module 502 is used to select one or more of thepresentation specifications 522 for inclusion in the package file 526,data representative of a selected presentation specification is includedin a bridge layer 506 function or method call which causes a referenceto the selected presentation specification to flow to the package hostmodule 514. However, in other embodiments, a data structure of theselected presentation specification may be passed via the bridge layer506.

In some embodiments, due to the programmatic nature of the packageediting module 502, package host module 514, presentation specifications522, optional elements 524, and package file 526, the bridge layer 506is insulated from a host layer 510 of the application 500. The hostlayer 510 may include a kernel or at least some portions of application500. In some embodiments, the insulation of the bridge layer 506 fromthe host layer 510 is provided by a security layer 508. The securitylayer 508 may limit access to some resources of the application, such asaccess to files and other resources of and on a computing device uponwhich the application is present.

FIG. 6 is block diagram of logical portions of a system, according to anexample embodiment. The block diagram of FIG. 6 provides a detailedperspective of a package editing module 600. The package editing module600 is one example embodiment of the package editing module 502 of FIG.5. The package editing module 600 is but one example and may include agreater or lesser number of elements and other modules in otherembodiments.

The package editing module 600, in some embodiments, includes apresentation specification select module 602, an option modificationmodule 604, and a publication module 612. The presentation specificationselect module 602 is operative to provide a user interface to allowselection of a presentation specification 522 held in a storage device620 to which the package editing module 600 has access. The presentationspecification select module 602, upon receipt of a presentationspecification selection, causes data representative of the selection tobe communicated to a package host module, such as the package hostmodule 514 of FIG. 5.

The option modification module 604, in some embodiments, is operative topresent package file authoring options via one or more user interfacesaccording to one or more further modules. The further modules mayinclude one or more of an options module 606, a colors module 608, afile detail module 610, and other modules depending on a selectedpresentation specification, the particular embodiment, permissions of aperson using the package editing module 600, and other factors. In someembodiments, the options module 606 is operable to provide package fileand presentation specification options to a user. Some such options mayinclude security and encryption options, data compression options,options that modify how a presentation specification is displayed withina package host module, and other options that may apply to a packagefile as a whole or in part when displayed. Some further options mayinclude one or more optional elements 524 from the storage device 620which may be selected for inclusion in a package file or which mayalready be included or referenced in a selected presentationspecification 522. Such optional elements 524 may include one or morenavigation aids that provide navigation functionality within a displayedpresentation specification. In some embodiments, the optional elementsmay include another instance of a media playing application or plug-inwhich may be configured to play an audio track, display a video,animation, a series of still images, or other media types whendisplayed. As with the presentation specifications 522, thefunctionality of the optional elements 524 is generally limited only bythe imagination of an optional element developer or package file author.

The colors module 608, in some embodiments, provides one or more userinterfaces operable to receive input to define colors used whendisplaying views of a package file within a presentation specification.The one or more user interfaces, in some embodiments, provide a colorpalette to select colors from or enter color specifications into, suchas red-green-blue (RGB) values. In some embodiments, the colors module608 is operative to receive a selection of one or more presentationspecification elements via a menu item or by user input into the packagehost module 514, of FIG. 5, via the bridge layer 506, also of FIG. 5.The colors module 608 is the operative to receive color specificationinput for the selected elements and to populate the color specificationinput across the bridge layer 506 to cause the color specification inputto be reflected in a view of the package file within the package hostmodule 514.

In some embodiments, the file detail module 610 is operative to provideone or more user interfaces to allow users to define and manipulatemetadata associated with a selected presentation specification andcontent files within a package file. Such user interfaces may allow auser to add, delete, and modify metadata fields and associate thosemetadata fields with content files within the package file or to thepackage file itself. The metadata fields may be designated for displayor made invisible. In some embodiments, the metadata fields may bedefined to hold descriptions of content files; to hold location (e.g.,geospatial) data, such as latitude and longitude, of a location to whicheach content file is relevant; hold an X, Y coordinate pair mapping toan image location to which each content file is applicable; hold a dateto which each content file pertains; and many other metadata types. Insome embodiments, the metadata may provide additional functionalitypossibilities, such as automatic mapping of content files to locationswithin a reference image or animation, such as a map or calendar, as afunction of the metadata.

In some embodiments, the file detail module 610 or other module may alsoinclude one or more user interfaces which may be used to view thecontents of the storage device 620 or other local and/or remote storagedevices. Such user interfaces may be used to view drive/folder/file typeviews of the storage devices and allow selection of one or more files tobe included in the package file.

The publication module 612, in some embodiments, is operative to receiveinput specifying how to perform one or more functions with an authoredpackage file. The one or more functions may include saving and/ordistributing the package file. These functions may be accomplishedthrough one or more, or a combination of, a save module 614, an emailmodule 616, and a document center module 618.

The save module 614 is operative to present a user interface to save apackage file to a storage device, such as the storage device 620. Insome embodiments, the save module 614 leverages one or more functions ofa host application, such as application 500 of FIG. 5, to store thepackage file. Such functions may include displaying a user interfaceproviding a drive/folder/type view to receive input specifying where thepackage file is to be stored.

The email module 616, in some embodiments, is operative to call an emailclient present on a computing device upon which the package editingmodule 600 is operating to attach the package file to an email, whichmay then be addressed and sent using the email client. In someembodiments, an email client may be present within the email module ormay be included within the application 500 of FIG. 5. In suchembodiments, one or a series of user interfaces may be provided toreceive one or more email address of intended recipients, a message, andthe package file. The received input may then be sent via emailutilizing a default email server or an email server identified in aconfiguration setting.

The document center module 618, in some embodiments, is operative topublish package files to a location where one or more users may accessthe document. The location may be a collaboration server. In some suchembodiments, the document center module 618 is operative to instantiatea collaboration session on a collaboration server and embeds anidentifier of the instantiated collaboration session within the packagefile. The package file may then be stored on the collaboration server.In some such embodiments, one or more user interfaces may also beprovided to a user to select or enter one or more other users to thenreceive a notification of the instantiated collaboration session. Insome other embodiments, after the collaboration session identifier isembedded within the package file, the package file may then bedistributed via the email module 616 and/or stored using the save module614. In these embodiments, when other users open the package file, theapplication within which the package file is viewed, such as a pagedescription language reading application, may connect to thecollaboration server and download comments and other data and display arepresentation of some or all of the downloaded data within the packagefile. The page description language reading application may also allow aviewer of the package file to enter comments or perform other actions,such as approving, and store data representative of the actions or ofthe comments to the collaboration server for other users or processes tosee and use.

FIG. 7 includes block diagrams of various page description languagedocuments 710, 720, 730, according to example embodiments. While theexample embodiment is described in the context of page descriptionlanguage documents, it will be appreciated that other embodiments may beimplemented using types of documents and content. Each of theillustrated page description language documents 710, 720, 730 isslightly different from the others. The form of page descriptionlanguage documents, when taking the form of a package file, may varyfrom embodiment to embodiment based on the nature of the one or morepresentation specifications utilized in presenting the package file.Further, in some embodiments, such as in the page description languagedocument 720, the presentation specification is not even included in thepage description language document 720, but instead is referenced in thepackage file presentation metadata.

A first page description language document 710 includes contentattachments, such as one or more content file attachments and metadatafor each of the one or more file attachments. The page descriptionlanguage document 710 further includes a presentation specification andnavigator data for use by the presentation specification in presentingone or more views of the page description language document 710. Thepage description language document 710 further includes a header contentitem and header data defining how the header content item is to bedisplayed. The page description language document 710 also includes awelcome content item and welcome data defining how the welcome contentitem is to be displayed. A welcome content item is generally a firstview of the page description language document 710 displayed when thepage description language document 710 is first opened. A displayedwelcome content item may be thought of as a “splash screen” in someembodiments.

A second page description language document 720 takes a different formfrom that of the first page description language document 710. Thesecond page description language document 720 includes one or more fileattachments and each file attachment includes embedded metadata. Thepage description language document 720 further includes package filepresentation metadata, which includes a reference to at least apresentation specification and metadata of how the presentationspecification is to be instantiated and presented. When the pagedescription language document 720 is opened, a suitable application forpresenting a view of the page description language document 720 mayidentify that there is a reference to a presentation specification andobtain a copy thereof from a referenced location, such as an Internet orother network location, by download. The application for presenting theview of the page description language document 720 may then extract themetadata embedded in each of the file attachments. The presentationspecification is then instantiated as a function of the package filepresentation metadata and the extracted file attachment metadata.

A third page description language document 730 takes yet another form.The page description language document 730 includes one or more fileattachments and metadata for each file attachment. The page descriptionlanguage document 730 also includes a presentation specification and aheader content item. The presentation specification will be instantiatedas a function of the file attachment metadata. The header content item,in such embodiments, includes enough information so as not to requirefurther data to instruct it how to instantiate.

Each of the page description language documents 710, 720, 730 includes adifferent form as described and illustrated. This is not intended to bea listing of all forms that page description language documents that arepackage files may take. Instead, the embodiments in FIG. 7 are examplesas to the flexible nature of package files.

FIG. 8 is a logical block diagram of a presentation specification 800,according to an example embodiment. The presentation specification 800may include various elements, including an item viewer that is operativeto instantiate one or more instances of an item renderer. An itemrenderer, when instantiated, is operable to render a view of an item,such as a content file or folder included in a package file. Such itemrenderer views are typically generated as a function of metadataincluded in or otherwise referenced by a package file to be display. Anitem renderer may include one or more display states that may changeupon occurrence of an event, such as a mouse hover or receive focusevent. An item renderer may also include one or more animation functionsthat animate a view of an item between states display. The item vieweris also operable to receive input to modify which item renderers aredisplayed or to modify which content files are represented by theinstantiated item renderers. The item viewer, in some embodiments,includes one or more animation functions to animate transitions betweenthe displayed item renderers or the content files represented by theinstantiated item renderers.

The presentation specification 800, and elements therein, may be definedor configured in metadata. In some such embodiments, the presentationspecification 800 may include executable code that implementsfunctionality of the particular presentation specification. In someembodiments, the code is in a runtime scripting language, such asJAVASCRIPT®, VISUAL BASIC® (VB) Script,

ACTIONSCRIPT®, and the like. Such code allows authors to add scriptingand code to presentation specifications to implement functionality ofvarious elements. Such code may be executable within an application orapplication plug-in, such as the FLASH® Player application plug-in,discussed above, or other applications or application plug-ins. In otherembodiments, the code is compiled code writing in a language, such asC/C++, capable of implementing the desired functionality, which may beaccessed and executed within or caused to be executed by an applicationwithin which a package file is to be viewed.

In some embodiments, the item view animation functions include at leasttwo animation functions. A first animation function is called when userinput is received to navigate through item renderer views in a slowfashion, such as between two adjacent item renderers. A second animationfunction may be called when user input is received to navigate throughitem renderers in a fast manner, such as from a first item renderer to alast item renderer, or such as when there are large number of itemrenderers or content files represented by the item renderers.

The presentation specification 800 may also include a “crumbs list”element that display is a crumbs list within an interface. A crumbs listis a representation of a relative location within a package file. Forexample, a package file may include a first level of content itemorganization including a file and two file folders. One of the filefolders may include a few more files. When viewing the package filecontent files, initially the crumbs list may include text “HOME.” A usermay then select one of the two file folders to cause the files of theselected file folder to display, thereby causing the crumbs list todisplay “HOME/FOLDER A” where “FOLDER A” is the selected folder.

The presentation specification 800 may also include a file count elementthat displays a count of a number of files included in a selected viewwithin the item viewer. This count may be a simple count of the numberof files. However, in some embodiments, the count may identify whichfiles of a count of files are currently displayed within the itemviewer. For example, the file count element may provide, “FILES 4-7 of14.”

In some embodiments, the presentation specification 800 may include afolder label element. A folder label element provides the name of thefolder currently being viewed within the item viewer. As with the crumbslist described above, in an initial view, the folder label element mayprovide “HOME.” When folder A is selected for view, the folder labelelement will then provide “FOLDER A.”

The presentation specification 800 may also include one or morenavigation aids. A navigation aid is an element that provides mechanismsthat represent files within a package file that may be selected tonavigate to the represented files. Some such representations may includeone or more of folders, groups of files, file types, and other logicalunits that may be provided based on the specific navigation aid includedin the presentation specification 800 and the requirements of thespecific embodiment. For example, one navigation aid may provide iconsrepresentative of image files, audio files, word processing documentfiles, and “other files.” Selection of the image files icon will causethe item viewer to change the view it presents, including theinstantiated item renderers, to a view that includes only image filesincluded within the viewed package file. Another navigation aid mayprovide a folder view, including icons and labels of folders, includedwithin a displayed package file that may be selected to navigate to therespective folders. Yet another navigation aid may present arepresentation of all files included within a displayed package file, ordisplayed folder therein. The package file may include fifteen files andthe navigation aid may include an icon for each of the fifteen files.Selection of one or more of the icons in such an embodiment will causethe item viewer to navigate to a view including the file represented bythe selected icon. In some such embodiments, the icons representative ofthe files that are currently displayed are modified to indicate that thefiles represented by the modified icons are currently displayed withinthe item viewer. Such modification may include an outlining of the icon,display of an alternate icon, backlighting an icon, animating an icon,or other modification that will graphically convey the fact that thefile represented by an icon is currently displayed within the itemviewer.

Some embodiments may also include one or more navigation user interfacecomponents, such as a tree-view type component. In such embodiments, thenavigation user interface component may provide a tree-view of afolder/file structure of a package file. In some embodiments, the filesand folder of a package file may be an export from an email client andinclude emails arranged in folders, such as inbox, sent items, deleteditems, and the like. In such embodiments, the tree-view provides afolder representation of each folder that may be expanded and collapsedto view and hide subfolders. Selection of a tree-view item in suchembodiments causes the item viewer to display the contents of the folderrepresented by the selected item.

In yet further embodiments, the presentation specification 800 may alsoinclude toolbar extras. Toolbar extras may cause a toolbar button to bedisplayed within a user interface of an application displaying arepresentation of a package file as a function of the presentationspecification 800. A toolbar extra, in one embodiment, may be a toolbarbutton that triggers a process encoded within the presentationspecification 800 to import email from an email client or allows a userto select files for inclusion in the package file. A toolbar extra inother embodiments may include a “SEARCH” button that provides mechanismby which a package file, and/or content files therein, may be searched.In some such embodiments, various search options may be provided such asa global package file text search, package file type specific searches,searches based on types of data included in a package file or contentfiles therein, such as CAD related data, geospatial metadata, dates, andother data types. Other toolbar extras may trigger one or more otherprocesses and may utilize code embedded within the presentationspecification 800 and or the application displaying the representationof a package file.

The presentation specification 800 also includes authoring controlswhich may be used when authoring a package file with regard to apresentation specification. The presentation specification 800 includestwo modes of display. The first mode is an authoring mode which isoptionally viewable within an application providing package fileauthoring functionality and allows modification of the package file andconfiguration of the presentation specification 800. The second mode isa viewing mode and only allows a user to view and navigate throughcontent within a package file.

The authoring controls may include item viewer specific extras, generalauthoring controls, and other controls based on the specificpresentation specification selected. The authoring controls may providefunctional user interface elements that allow a user to add files, orreferences thereto, to a package file. The authoring specific extras mayallow a user to configure item viewer or item renderer controls, such asselecting optional animation functions, display sizes, metadata todisplay within an item renderer, and other display options. The generalauthoring controls may include options such as which navigation aids touse or display, the setting of icons used in displaying various elementsof the navigation aids, the navigation user interface component, andinclusion and/or configuration of the crumbs list, folder label, filecount, and toolbar extras. Other authoring controls may be providedbased on the elements included within a particular presentationspecification 800 that may be selected.

FIG. 9 is a user interface 900 illustration generated as a function of apresentation specification, according to an example embodiment. The userinterface 900 includes a header 902, a crumbs list element 904, a filecount element 906, and a folder label element 908. The user interface900 further includes a card listing 910 of content files packaged in apackage file the user interface 900 represents.

The header 902 is configured in metadata and may include various textualelements, graphics, audio tracks, animations, and other media types. Inthe present embodiment the header 902 includes only text.

The crumbs list element 904, file count element 906, and folder labelelement 908 illustrate examples of these elements as described withregard to FIG. 8. Note, though, that the card listing 910 is a listingof cards identified by the “FOLDER NAME” in both the crumbs list element904 and folder label element 908. Further, the file count element 906 isa count (27) of the files in the “FOLDER NAME” folder and identifieswhich files (21-27) are displayed.

The cards displayed in the card listing 910 each include a thumbnailimage (shown as a black box) and a description of the file eachrespective card represents. Selection of a card, such as bydouble-clicking with a pointing device, will cause the file representedby the card to be displayed, such as in the user interface 200 of FIG.2. In some embodiments, a card may represent a folder including furtherfiles. In such instances, selection of a card that represents a folderwill cause the crumbs list element 904, the file count element 906, andthe folder label element 908 to be modified to display appropriate databased on the selected folder and the card listing 910 will then displaycard representative of the files therein. However, in some embodiments,a folder may be configured with a difference presentation specificationand the contents of the folder will be displayed in accordance with thatpresentation specification.

The card listing 910 is illustrated in an authoring mode. When in theauthoring mode, the card listing will include a card 912 that allows anauthor to add a file and add an image to the card of the file. To add afile, the author selects the card, such as through use of a pointingdevice or other input device. The author is then presented with one ormore user interfaces that may be used to select a file to be packaged inthe package file or to attach an image to a card. In some embodiments,the card 912 may also allow an author to create a folder. In suchinstances, the author may be allowed to not only create a new folder,but also to associate a presentation specification with the new folder.

The card listing 910, when in the authoring mode, may also allow a userto drag and drop files and folders from outside of the user interface900 into the card listing 910. Folders and files may also be movedaround within the card listing in some embodiments. This may includeselecting one or more cards and dragging and dropping the selected cardsinto a displayed folder. The package files represented by the selectedcards and the cards themselves are then reorganized to be included inthe folder to which the cards were moved. The code to facilitate theauthoring mode of the presentation specification may be included in partin the presentation specification, to accommodate for specific authoringoptions and functionality of the presentation specification, and withinan application within which the package file is being authored, such asa page description language authoring application. Such authoringfunctionality is generally available in each of the presentationspecifications described and illustrated herein.

In a display or non-authoring mode, the “add file” card 912 is notdisplayed and the files and folders within the package file may not bereorganized.

FIG. 10 is a user interface 1000 illustration generated as a function ofa presentation specification, according to an example embodiment. Theuser interface 1000 also includes a header 1002, a crumbs list element1004, a file count element 1006, and a folder label element. The header1002 illustrates another example of how a header may be configured. Theheader 1002 includes an image and text. As noted above, the image may beanimated, such as by including a FLASH® enabled SWF type animationwithin the header or an animated GIF image.

The user interface 1000 includes a horizontal card listing 1008 that maybe navigated through by using navigation arrows 1010 and 1012. Each cardof the horizontal card listing 1008 is representative of a file orfolder packaged in a package file. Each card may be configured toinclude various elements that convey what content is included in thefile or folder the card represents. The various elements may includetext, images, animation, audio, and other media types. These elementsmay be customized in some embodiments through definition of metadatatypes and entry of the metadata.

In some embodiments, the cards of the horizontal card listing 1008 areinstances of an item renderer instantiated by an item viewer. The itemrenderer and item viewer are included in the presentation specificationas described and illustrated with regard to FIG. 8. In some instances,the item viewer includes code or a configuration setting specifying anumber of cards to display and then instantiates an item renderer foreach of the number cards to display. In such instances, the item viewerthen instantiates the number of item rendered and populates eachinstantiated item renderer with metadata of the file to be displayed.For example, if the number of cards to display is three, the item viewerwill instantiate three instances of the item renderer in appropriatelocations within the horizontal card listing 1008. The item viewer willthen populate the instantiated item renderers with data to be displayed.That data, when first presenting a view of the package file, may be thedata of the first three files in the package file.

Next, when a user navigates through the horizontal card listing 1008using the arrows 1010 and 1012, the item viewer tracks a displayedposition within the package files and moves the package file through theinstantiated item viewers. Thus, three item viewers will be displayedand recycled by moving data sequentially through the item viewers as auser traverses the package files. In some embodiments, though, a usermay wish to jump from files 1-3 to files 10-12. In such instances, theitem viewer may skip displaying and moving the data of files 4-9 andjump directly to the data of files 10-12.

When navigating through the horizontal card listing 1008, the itemviewer may animate transitions from one set of displayed cards toanother. For example, the animation may cause the cards of thehorizontal card listing 1008 to appear as if they are movinghorizontally. If a user jumps, such as the jump from files 1-3 to files10-12, a second navigation may blur the horizontal card listing 1008 tosimulate the displayed cards moving rapidly. Other animations arepossible and may be presentation specification specific. However, insome embodiments, animations may be reused between presentationspecifications. In such instances, the code and/or media to cause suchanimations may be included as function calls in the application withinwhich the package files may be authored and/or viewed.

In further embodiments, other elements of presentation specificationsmay also be included in the application within which the package filesmay be authored and/or viewed. For example, item viewer and itemrenderer abstractions and extensions may be included in the applicationand called by code or referenced by metadata included within apresentation specification.

FIG. 11 is a user interface 1100 illustration generated as a function ofa presentation specification, according to an example embodiment. Thepresentation specification includes a card presentation 1102. Each cardof the card presentation 1102 represents a file or folder includedwithin at least a portion of the package file, or a metadata referenceto a file or folder located elsewhere that may be viewed within the userinterface 1100 of the presentation specification.

The card presentation 1102 includes cards as described above. However,in some embodiments, the cards may be images derived from an image fileor other file a respective card represents. The cards of the cardpresentation 1102 are randomly scattered across the card presentation1102 portion of the user interface 1100. In some embodiments, the random(or a semi-random) distribution is made according to a set of rules orparameters which may be hard coded within a presentation specificationor provided as display options within the presentation specificationauthoring controls as illustrated and described with regard to FIG. 8.For example, such rules or parameters may specify a size of the cardpresentation 1102 area of the user interface 1100, a size for each card,one or more formulas for calculating a rotation orientation of eachcard, a tilt perspective, an opacity of each card, whether or not thecards may overlap one another when displayed, and other rules orparameters that may affect how the cards are displayed. When a userselects a card within the card presentation 1102, the card may bezoomed-in on, such as is illustrated in FIG. 12.

FIG. 12 is a user interface 1200 illustration generated as a function ofa presentation specification according to an example embodiment. Thepresentation specification of the user interface 1200 may be the samepresentation specification of the user interface 1100 of FIG. 11. Theuser interface 1200 provides the zoomed-in view of the card selectedwithin the card presentation 1102 of FIG. 11. The user interface 1200includes the selected card 1202 and provides a larger zoomed-in view ofit. An animated transition between the card presentation 1102 and thezoomed-in view of the card 1202 may be provided by the presentationspecification to show the card 1202 getting larger and portions of thecard presentation 1102 going out of view. Within the user interface1200, other cards of the card presentation 1102 may still be in view,but be smaller in relation to the larger card 1202. The smaller cardsmay have greater opacity causing them to appear faint within a display.The card 1202 may then be selected to cause a view of the filerepresented by the card to be displayed, such as in the user interface200 of FIG. 2 or within another application suited for displaying thefile, such as an image editing application if the file is an image or aword processing application if the file is a word processingapplication. In some embodiments, selecting the file may cause the fileto be transmitted over a network, such as the Internet, to a networkhosted application to allow viewing and/or editing of the file in thenetwork hosted application. In some such embodiments, if the file ismodified and resaved, the file may be stored back to the package fileover the network.

If a user no longer wishes to view the zoomed card 1202, the user mayuse a pointing device or other input device to signify that intent byselecting an area outside of the card 1202 and the card presentation1102 of the user interface 1100 will return.

FIG. 13 is a user interface 1300 illustration generated as a function ofa presentation specification, according to an example embodiment. Theuser interface 1300 includes a crumbs list element 1312 and a file countelement 1314, both as described and illustrated with regard to FIG. 8.The user interface further includes a view of grouped files 1306, 1308,1310. Each group of files 1306, 1308, 1310 also includes a label, suchas label 1316 “MANUALS” for group 1310. The groups 1306, 1308, 1310 areindividually displayed within an item renderer under control of an itemviewer as discussed above. The groups 1306, 1308, 1310 may be traversedusing navigation arrows 1302, 1304.

The groups 1306, 1308, 1310 are each represented by a stack of cards.Each card may be representative of a file within a folder of therespective group. Each card may include an image or animation, adescription, and/or other data. The cards typically over lap each otherexcept a top card which is fully viewable.

FIG. 14 is a user interface 1400 illustration generated as a function ofa presentation specification, according to an example embodiment. Theuser interface is another view presented by the same presentationspecification as in FIG. 13. The user interface 1400 includes a pointer1402 under control of an input device of a computing device, such as themouse of a PC. The pointer is hovering over the “MANUALS” group 1310.The hover event causes the group 1310 to move the cards of the group1310 to allow a larger portion of the stacked cards to be displayed. Insome embodiments, a description bubble 1404 may also appear upon thehover event. In some embodiments, rather than a hover event, a singleclick event with the pointing device may cause the expanded view of thecards and the description bubble 1404 to appear. Selection of a group,such as the “MANUALS” group 1310, causes another user interface to bedisplayed, such as a user interface of another presentationspecification. This user interface may be generated as a function of anyof the other presentation specifications described and illustratedherein. One user interface generated as a function of anotherpresentation specification is illustrated in FIG. 15.

FIG. 15 is a user interface 1500 illustration generated as a function ofa presentation specification, according to an example embodiment. Theuser interface 1500 includes a crumbs list element 1502, file countelement 1504, and a folder label element 1506 as described andillustrated above, including with regard to FIG. 8. The user interface1500 also includes a horizontal card listing of card 1512, 1514, and1516 as illustrated and described above with regard to the horizontalcard listing 1008 of FIG. 10. The cards 1512, 1514, and 1516 may betraversed using navigation arrows 1508, 1510. The cards 1512, 1514, 1516of the horizontal card listing in FIG. 15 are cards of the “MANUALS”group 1310 as selected in the user interface 1400 of FIG. 14. In someembodiments, the user interface 1500 of FIG. 15 may also include anotherelement that displays the text displayed within the description bubble1404 of FIG. 14.

In some embodiments, the user interface 1500 may also include anavigation aid 1518. The navigation aid 1518 provides a groups viewsimilar to that of FIG. 13 and FIG. 14. The groups may include hover orselection events as described above with regard to FIG. 14 and may benavigated through using the provided navigation arrows. Selection of agroup in the navigation aid 1518 causes the user interface 1500 tonavigate to the selected group and display the cards in the horizontalcard listing of the group selected in the navigation aid.

Selection of a card in the horizontal card listing, such as card 1512,may cause another user interface to be displayed as a function ofvirtually any other presentation specification illustrated and describedherein. For example, selection of the card 1512 may cause the userinterface of FIG. 16 to be displayed.

FIG. 16 is a user interface illustration 1600 generated as a function ofa presentation specification, according to an example embodiment. Theuser interface 1600 includes a crumbs list element 1602, file countelement 1604, and a folder label element 1606 as described andillustrated above, including with regard to FIG. 8. The user interface1600 also includes navigation arrows 1608, 1610 to navigate to adjacentfiles within a package file. In the user interface 1600, a selected card1612, such as the card 1512 of FIG. 15, is displayed. The card 1612 maybe a card as described elsewhere herein and may include one or more oftext, images, animations, and other media types. The user interface 1600also includes a detail area 1614 where details of the file or other itemrepresented by the card are displayed. These details may be included inthe metadata of the package file and associated with the selected card1612. In some embodiments, the user interface 1600 may also include oneor more action elements, such as toolbar extras as described above withregard to FIG. 8 or an action button 1616. Selection of the actionbutton 1616 may cause a data processing activity to be triggered. Forexample, the user interface 1600 includes data representative of an itemavailable for purchase. Selecting the action button, such as through amouse click or other received input, triggers a process which allows auser to purchase the item. This action may include launching a webbrowser to open a specific universal resource locator (URL) or maylaunch an interface to allow a user to enter purchasing information,such as credit card numbers, shipping addresses, and the like.

In some embodiments, the item represented in the user interface 1600 isa content item embedded within the package file being viewed. However,the content item may be secured and not available for viewing, playing,or other mode of consumption unless the item is purchased. In suchembodiments, a user may select the “BUY NOW” action button, provide therequested purchase information through a user interface of the packagefile, such as a user interface generated as a function of anotherpresentation specification or through a web site, and then be allowed toconsume the content item represented within the user interface 1600.

Thus, the series of user interfaces 1300, 1400, 1500, and 1600 of FIG.13, FIG. 14, FIG. 15, and FIG. 16 may be configured within one or agroup of package files to distribute and present an interactive catalogof products. Some such products may also be included in the one or morepackage files. Such products included with the package files may includetextual documents, such as digital books, word processing documenttemplates, and premium textual content. Premium textual content mayinclude proprietary mailing and contact lists, and audio recordings,such as audio books, music, and mobile telephone ringtones. The productsmay also include video, such as movies and television shows, and othercontent, which may be included in a secure manner in an electronic file.In some embodiments, the package files may be viewed and purchases maybe made using a PC, a mobile computing device such as a laptop,smart-phone, or handheld computer, and other computing devices such as aset-top box coupled to a television, display monitor, or otheraudio/visual device.

FIG. 17 is a user interface 1700 illustration generated as a function ofa presentation specification, according to an example embodiment. Theuser interface 1700 includes a header 1702 and a reference image 1704.Displayed with reference to the image 1704 are markers 1706 and 1708.The markers are defined in the metadata. The metadata includes a mappingto a location within the image 1704 in which the markers are to beplaced when the image is displayed. In the illustrated example, theimage 1704 is an image of a soccer stadium where tickets are availablein the sections identified by the markers 1706, 1708. In otherembodiments, the image may be virtually any image, such as an image ofan automobile and including markers identifying items selected formarketing, such as a marker of a wheel of an automobile image toidentify high performance tires and braking systems of the automobile.The markers may also include textual descriptions, which are displayedor are displayed upon an event such as a pointer hovering over themarker. In some embodiments, an event such as a hover event or selectionevent of a marker may cause a portion of the image 1704 to becomeanimated, such as a wheel on the automobile rotating, or for audio toplay, such as a sound of a soccer crowd cheering upon a hover event withregard to one of the markers 1706, 1708.

Selection of one of the markers 1706, 1708 may also cause another userinterface to launch, such as one of the other user interfaces describedherein, that is generated as a function of the presentationspecification. In some embodiments, selection of one of the markers1706, 1708 may cause a web browser to be launched to display a webpageproviding further information or allowing a user to make a purchase thatis related to the selected marker, such as purchasing tickets to asoccer game or requesting further information with regard to a displayedautomobile. In some embodiments, selection of a marker 1706, 1708 maytrigger launching of an application, such as a FLASH® based application,that allows a user to make a purchase without departing from theapplication within which the user is viewing the package file.

In further embodiments, selection of a marker 1706, 1708 may causeanother, more detailed image to replace the displayed image 1704. Forexample, if the user selects marker 1706 “UPPER DECK SEATS AVAILABLE,”the stadium image 1704 is replaced with an image of a seating chart ofan upper deck seating section of the stadium. This provides ahierarchical option for linking files within a package file similar tothat illustrated and described with regard to FIG. 3.

The markers may be placed on the image in an authoring mode by selectinga menu item to add a marker or selecting a file from a listing of filesand then placing moving the marker around in a drag-and-drop fashion. Inother embodiments, the image may include metadata defining areas of theimage. Files embedded within a package file may include metadatareferencing one or more locations defined within the image metadata. Insuch embodiments, an item viewer of a presentation specification, orother code element in the presentation specification or application fordisplaying a package file, may place the markers on the image as afunction of the image metadata and the file metadata.

FIG. 18 is a user interface 1800 illustration generated as a function ofa presentation specification, according to an example embodiment. Theuser interface 1800 includes a header 1802 as described elsewhereherein. The user interface 1800 also includes an animation 1804. Theanimation 1804, in some embodiments, may be navigated by moving apointer around within the user interface and with regard to theanimation 1804. In the illustrated example, the animation is a globe.Moving the pointer toward the right and left edges causes the animation1804 to cause the globe to appear as if it is rotating on northern andsouthern poles.

User interface 1800 also includes markers 1806 mapped to locationswithin the animation. For example, the illustrated globe animation mayinclude geospatial data defining a latitude and longitude with regard tothe animation. The markers 1806 may be mapped using metadata defining alatitude and longitude where each respective marker is to be located. Inother embodiments, regions may be defined with animation 1804 metadataand marker locations identified with regard to the defined regions. Suchregions may be defined with regard to data represented within theanimation, such as North America.

When authoring a package file using an animation such as is illustratedin FIG. 18, an authoring user interface may be provided that allows anauthor to select an animation, or other image, and define referenceareas within the animation. For example, a simple X, Y coordinatestructure could be assigned. In other embodiments, an interface allowinga user to define regions may be provided. In some embodiments though, ananimation or other image may be provided in a presentation specificationthat already includes addressable metadata, such as latitude andlongitude with regard to a globe or map. In such instances, in anauthoring mode, a user may be presented with a latitude and longitudeentry user interface to enter coordinates as to where a marker is to beplaced.

In further embodiments, markers may automatically be placed within ananimation, or other image, for a content file added to a package file.In such embodiments, the file may include metadata defining a locationwhere a marker representative of the file is to be placed. That metadatamay define a latitude and longitude coordinate set as described above.The metadata may alternatively identify another location as definedwithin the metadata of the animation or other image.

In some embodiments, each marker may also include descriptive text, ananimation, an audio file, or data that may presented upon an eventoccurrence with regard to a respective marker. For example, a marker islocated within the animation 1804 at a location with regard to NorthAmerica and a description bubble 1808 pops up upon a mouse-over event.In another embodiment, an audio file could be triggered upon themouse-over event.

In some embodiments, selection of a marker or other location within theanimation 1804 may cause another user interface to display. In someembodiments, the other user interface may be related to the areaselected within the animation 1804 or other image. For example, if theanimation 1804 were a computer-aided drafting (CAD) image or animation,an area selected may be a part that is further described in a moredetailed CAD file that is identified in the metadata of the one or moreCAD files. In such an instance, the detailed view of the selected CADimage or animation may be displayed in the user interface 1800 or otheruser interface. In another example embodiment, an area of the globeanimation 1804 illustrated in FIG. 18 may be selected. The selected areamay be represented in a zoomed-in map included in the package file beingpresented as identified in metadata of the package file or of one ormore of the package files. In such an instance, the zoomed-in map may bepresented, such as in the user interface of FIG. 19.

FIG. 19 is a user interface illustration 1900 generated as a function ofa presentation specification, according to an example embodiment. Theuser interface 1900 includes the zoomed-in view of the selected area ofthe animation 1804 of FIG. 18 described above. The user interfaceincludes an image 1902, which in this instance is a map, but could be aCAD or other image in other embodiments. The image may be an animationin some embodiments. The user interface 1900 includes further markersmapped to locations within the image as discussed above with regard toFIG. 17 and FIG. 18. Selection of a marker, such as marker 1904 “CAPEGEORGE” may cause a representation of one or more files represented bythe marker to be displayed. This representation may be made in anotheruser interface generated as a function of one or more other presentationspecifications as described herein. However, in some embodiments, theuser interface 1900 may superimpose additional user interface elementsupon the image 1902. (Note that this superimposing may also occur inother user interfaces generated as a function of presentationspecifications described herein, but is described only with regard tothe user interface 1900 for the sake of brevity).

The additional user interface elements may include a file count, afolder label, and other elements superimposed over the image 1902. Theadditional user interface elements also include a representation offiles and folders associated with the selected marker. As illustrated,the additional user interface elements include a horizontal card listing1906 as described above with regard to the horizontal card listing 1008of FIG. 10. However, package file presentation elements, such as areillustrated in FIGS. 1-2, 9, 10, and 13-16, may be adapted and/orconfigured to be superimposed over the image in such instances.

FIG. 20 is a user interface 2000 illustration generated as a function ofa presentation specification, according to an example embodiment. Theuser interface 2000 includes a header 2002, a crumbs list element 2004,a folder label element 2006, and a file count element 2008 asillustrated and described with regard to FIG. 8. The user interface 2000also includes an interactive, animated calendar 2010 that may benavigated using navigation arrows 2012, 2014. The calendar 2010 may be aFLASH® animation or other animation type that allows a user tomanipulate and interact with the calendar. The calendar 2010 includes alisting of months associated with a year identified in the folder label.Each month includes a number of content files associated with the month,if any are present in the displayed package file. In some embodiments,when authoring a package file with regard to the calendar 2010, the userassociates the content files with a month by dragging and dropping filesinto the appropriate months to which the content files pertain. In someembodiments, the content files may simply be added to the package fileand are automatically associated with a calendar 2010 date by logicincluded with in the calendar presentation specification as a functionof a date defined in metadata of the content files. That date may be acontent file saved date, a date the content file is added to the packagefile, a content file created date, or other date that may be included bydefault in a file or caused to be added by an author. In someembodiments, an authoring interface provides a mechanism by which apackage file author may enter, or otherwise assign, a date to eachcontent file.

Selection of a month within the calendar 2010 may cause a superimposingof additional user interface elements upon the calendar 2010 asdescribed with regard to FIG. 19. In other embodiments, selection of amonth may cause the calendar 2010 to modify a detail level at which itis displayed to cause days of the selected month to display. Such anexample is illustrated in FIG. 21.

FIG. 21 is a user interface 2100 illustration generated as a function ofa presentation specification, according to an example embodiment. Insome embodiments, the presentation specification that generates the userinterface 2100 may be the same presentation specification of FIG. 20.The user interface 2100 includes a header 2102, a crumbs list element2104, a folder label element 2106, and file count element 2108, asillustrated and described with regard to FIG. 8. The user interface 2100further includes a calendar 2110. Each date in the calendar 2110includes a count of content files, if any, associated with the date. Thecalendar 2110 may be navigated using navigation arrows 2112, 2114.Further user interfaces may be presented based on a calendar at greateror lesser granularities as desired by a package file author or, in someembodiments, as selected for viewing by a viewing user. Selection of adate in the calendar 2110 may cause a horizontal card listing 1008 asillustrated in FIG. 10 to be displayed, or another user interfaceproviding further granularity of the content files with respect to adate and/or time associated with the content file or a differing view ofthe content files associated with the specific date.

FIG. 22 is a user interface 2200 illustration generated as a function ofa presentation specification, according to an example embodiment. Theuser interface includes a header 2202, a crumbs list element 2204, and afile count element 2206, as described above with regard to FIG. 8. Theuser interface 2200 further includes a carousel view 2212 of contentfiles included in a package file being viewed. The carousel view 2212includes a card, as described above, defined in an item renderer that isinstantiated a number of times by an item viewer. The number of timesthe item renderer is instantiated may be an author or a userconfiguration setting; a dynamic, programmatic setting as a function ofavailable resources, such as memory and processing resources, on acomputing device displaying the user interface; or may be hard coded. Insome embodiments, the number of cards displayed is five. A view of thecards may be traversed using navigation arrows 2208, 2210. As the viewof cards is traversed, the item viewer keeps track of a position withina list of content files displayed and moves metadata of the contentfiles into and out of item renderers as described above.

The carousel view 2212 of the user interface 2200 provides an animatedview as if the cards are rotating through the display in a circularfashion. A foreground card is displayed centered and largest. A card oneach of the right and left sides of the foreground card are displayedsmaller and at a rotated perspective to appear as if they are facing inthe direction of viewers at different locations. The cards at a nextlevel are displayed smaller yet and appear as if they are facing in thedirection of viewers at further different locations. This continuesuntil a total number of cards are rendered by item renderers. The numberof cards displayed will typically be an odd number of cards, but if thethere are fewer content files to be represented than a number of card todisplay, the number of visible cards may be an even number.

FIG. 23 is a user interface 2300 illustration generated as a function ofa presentation specification, according to an example embodiment. Theuser interface 2300 includes a header 2302, a viewing area 2308, andnavigation arrows 2304, 2306. The user interface 2300 may also include afooter note area 2310 and a footer image area 2312. The viewing area2308 is operable to display still and moving images, animation files,and other media content in synchronization with textual descriptionswithin the footer note area 2310 and images, such as an image,animation, or video of a speaker, in the footer image area 2312. Such auser interface may used to author a presentation of content along withcommentary to viewers.

FIG. 24 is a block flow diagram of a method 2400, according to anexample embodiment, of authoring a package file, including apresentation specification for displaying at least one view of contentitems included in the package file. The method 2400, in someembodiments, includes instantiating 2402 a package file, receiving 2404at least one presentation specification to include in the package file,the presentation specification operable within a media playingapplication to display a representation of display elements defined inthe package file, and receiving 2406 at least one content file. Themethod 2400 further includes defining 2408 display elements for eachcontent file and associating each content file with a respective displayelement. The method 2400 then includes receiving 2410 input specifyingat least one package file option and then publishing 2412 the packagefile.

In some embodiments, the package file options include one or moreoptions, such as display options, which when configured define elementsof one or more presentation specification views. The element of the oneor more presentation specification views may include one or more of acover page or welcome view, a header to be included in one or morepresentation specification views, the content of the header, and dataidentifying a color scheme for at least one presentation specificationview.

In some embodiments, publishing 2412 the package file includes embeddingwithin the package file the content files, the presentationspecification, the defined display elements and associations, and otherreceived data specifying the package file options. The publishing 2412may then include storing the package file, such as on a local storagedevice or on a server accessible over a network or distributing thepackage file via email, a collaboration server, or via other mechanismsor media.

FIG. 25 is a block flow diagram of a method 2500 according to an exampleembodiment. The method 2500 may be used to create or modify packagefiles. The method 2500 includes instantiating 2502 a presentationspecification in a first portion of a user interface in response toreceived input in a second portion of the user interface and receiving2504 a selection in the first portion of the user interface of a displayelement of the presentation specification to associate a content filethereto. The method 2500 further includes receiving 2506 a selection ofa content file, modifying the selected display element as a function ofthe selected content file, and receiving 2508 input in the secondportion of the user interface, the input defining one or more propertiesof the presentation specification. The method 2500 then includesbuilding 2510 a page description language file in response to a commandreceived in at least one of the first and second user interfaceportions. The page description language file may include (or at least beassociated with) the presentation specification, the content file (e.g.,as embedded therein), and a representation of the association of thecontent file to the display element of the presentation specification.The package file may further include (or at least be associated with)data representative of the input defining the one or more properties ofthe presentation specification.

In some embodiments, the presentation specification includesinstructions executable within a page description language readerapplication to cause the presentation specification to be instantiatedand displayed within a graphical user interface of the page descriptionlanguage reader application. The presentation specification may furtherinclude instructions executable within the page description languagereader application to modify an appearance of the displayed presentationspecification in response to one or more events.

FIG. 26 is a block flow diagram of a method 2600, according to anexample embodiment of generating a view of at least a portion of apackage file as a function of a presentation specification. The method2600 includes receiving 2602 a package file including a presentationspecification, one or more content files, and metadata defining displayelements within the presentation specification and associating eachdisplay element with one of the content files or a folder holding one ormore content files. The method 2600 further includes instantiating 2604the presentation specification as a function of executable code embeddedwithin the presentation specification. In some embodiments, theexecutable code within the presentation specification is executable toinstantiate 2606, in a memory, each display element defined in themetadata. Each display element may include a link to an associatedcontent file within the package file. The code of the presentationspecification may be further executed to generate 2608 and distribute(e.g. randomly or quasi-randomly) graphical elements within a graphicaluser interface where the graphical elements are representative of thedisplay elements. In some embodiments, the presentation specificationmay include one or more media elements operable within a media playerinterface of an application adapted to display the package file. Themedia elements may be operable within the media player to display thedisplay elements defined in the metadata. The media player interface, insome embodiments, is a FLASH® enabled interface.

In some embodiments, the executable code embedded within thepresentation specification may be further executed to receive, in anoriginal view of the graphical user interface, input selecting agraphical element representative of a first display element and to zoomin to a larger view in response to the input selecting the graphicalelement representative of the first display element. The code, in someembodiments, is further operable to receive a second input to deselectthe graphical element of the first display element and to zoom out tothe original view.

FIG. 27 is a block flow diagram of a method 2700 according to an exampleembodiment. The method 2700 includes extracting 2702 a presentationspecification and metadata from a package file. The metadata definesdisplay elements and links each display element to a content fileembedded within the package file. The method 2700 includes generating2704 a graphical element for each display element defined in themetadata. The method 2700 further includes randomly or quasi-randomlydistributing 2706 each graphical element within a graphical userinterface to generate an original view and detecting 2708 an eventoccurrence. The method 2700 then includes executing 2710 an event codeassociated with the event occurrence, the event code included in thepresentation specification. In some embodiments, the event occurrence isa selection of a first graphical element and the event code is operableto zoom in to a larger view of the first graphical element within thegraphical user interface, receive a second input to deselect thegraphical element of the first display element, and to zoom out to theoriginal view.

FIG. 28 is a block flow diagram of a method 2800, according to anexample embodiment, of instantiating a presentation specification of apackage file. The method 2800 includes extracting 2802 a list of displayelements defined in the metadata of a package file, each display elementrepresentative of one of a content file or a content folder includingone or more content files included in the package file, and extracting2804 a presentation specification from the package file. The method 2800further includes instantiating 2824 an item viewer of the presentationspecification and executing item viewer code. Content files and contentfolders are referred to collectively as content items.

The presentation specification, in some such embodiments, includes anitem renderer 2806 including executable code operable to generate 2808 agraphical representation of a display element as a function of thedisplay element metadata. The presentation specification in suchembodiments also includes an item viewer 2810 including executable codeto identify 2812 which display elements from the list of displayelements to display and to instantiate 2814 instances of the itemrenderer for each display element identified for display. Thepresentation specification code may be further executable to populate2816 and graphically render the instantiated item renderers with data ofthe identified display elements. The code of the item viewer may also befurther operable to receive 2818 navigation input to move through thelist of display elements, to re-identify 2820 which display elementsfrom the list of display elements to display as a function of thenavigation input, and to re-populate 2822 and graphically render theinstantiated item renderers with data of the re-identified displayelements to be displayed.

In some embodiments, the item viewer further includes animation codeoperable to generate and graphically render a transition animation froma first view of the instantiated item renderers to a repopulated view ofthe instantiated item renderers following receipt of the navigationinput. The item viewer 2810 may further include a synchronization codeoperable to communicate synchronization data to display modules tosynchronize a view of the display modules with a view within the itemviewer.

In some embodiments, the presentation specification also includes one ormore navigation-aid display modules. Each navigation-aid display modulemay include code operable to generate and graphically render anavigation-aid display of a position within the list of display elementsof the package file and receive synchronization data from the itemviewer identifying at least one display element from the list of displayelements displayed within the item viewer. The navigation-aid displaymodule may further include code operable to modify the navigation-aiddisplay of the position within the list of display elements of thepackage file as a function of the synchronization data received from theitem viewer. The navigation-aid display modules also may include codeoperable to receive input identifying a different position within thenavigation-aid display to navigate to within the list of displayelements displayed by the item viewer and communicate the identifieddifferent position to the item viewer as the navigation input.

In some embodiments of the method 2800 performed by item renderers, themethod 2800 includes identifying an event occurrence with regard to aninstantiated item renderer and modifying a graphical appearance of theinstantiated item renderer as a function of the identified event. Insome embodiments, the identified event may be a received focus event andthe modified graphical appearance of the instantiated item renderer isan alternate graphical representation of the instantiated item renderer.In some other embodiments, the identified event is a selection of theinstantiated item renderer and the item renderer code is furtherexecutable to open and display the display element that the instantiateditem renderer represents. The selection of the instantiated itemrenderer may be a selection of a display element representative of acontent folder including one or more display elements representative ofcontent file display elements. In some embodiments, the item viewer codemay be operable to move the item renderer to a background view, toidentify which display elements from the list of display elements in thecontent folder to display, and to instantiate second instances of theitem renderer for each display element identified in the content folderfor display. In some embodiments, the item viewer code is also operableto populate and graphically render, in a foreground view, theinstantiated second instances of the item renderer.

FIG. 29 is a block flow diagram of a method 2900, according to anexample embodiment. The method 2900 includes receiving 2902 a packagefile, the package file including a presentation specification and aplurality of display elements representative of a plurality of contentitems, respectively. The method 2900 also includes presenting 2904 aview of the presentation specification and presenting 2906 the pluralityof display elements within the view of the presentation specification atdisplay element locations defined in the presentation specification. Insome embodiments, the method 2900 further includes receiving a selectionof a presented display element and presenting a view of a content itemassociated with the selected display element. In some embodiments of themethod 2900, the content item associated with the selected displayelement includes an association to a second presentation specificationand a second plurality of display elements representative of a secondplurality of content items. Further, the presented view of the selectedcontent item includes presenting a view of the second presentationspecification and the second plurality of display elements within theview of the second presentation specification.

In some embodiments, the view of the presentation specification ispresented as a function of at least one media element, such as a FLASH®animation, included within the presentation specification.

FIG. 30 is a block flow diagram of a method 3000, according to anexample embodiment. The method 3000 is an example method of presenting adisplay element at a location within a reference content item as afunction of a mapping. The method 3000 includes identifying 3002 aplurality of display elements of a package file, a first display elementof the plurality of display elements being representative of a packagecontent item and identifying 3004 a mapping of the first display elementto a location within a reference content item of the package file. Themethod 3000 further includes presenting 3006 the reference content itemof the package file within a user interface and presenting 3008 arepresentation of the mapping of the first display element,representative of the package content item, to a location relative tothe reference content item. In some embodiments, the reference contentitem includes a media content item, such as one or more of a video, ananimation, an image, an audio clip, and the like. In some embodiments,the media content item is an animation responsive to received user inputto modify how the animated image is displayed. The animation, in someembodiments, is an animated calendar and the mapping of the firstdisplay element to a location within the reference content item includesa date.

In some embodiments, the reference content item is an animated imageincluding a map. The map, in some embodiments, includes geospatial orother location metadata defining addressable locations within the mapand the mapping of the first display element to a location within thereference content item is defined in the metadata as geospatialcoordinates relative to the geospatial metadata of the map.

In some embodiments of the method 3000, the package content item of thefirst display element is representative of a content item that providesdetail information with regard to the mapped portion of the referencecontent item image. Such embodiments of the method 3000 may furtherinclude receiving a selection of the first display element within thefirst display element presented within the presented reference contentitem and presenting the package content item represented by the firstdisplay element within the user interface.

FIG. 31 is a block flow diagram of a method 3100, according to anexample embodiment. The method 3100 is a method of generating a displayof a reference content item and presenting a view of display elements atlocations relative to mappings of display elements to content itemlocations. The method 3100 includes receiving 3102 a package file, thepackage file including a reference content item, a plurality of displayelements representative of a plurality of mapped content items,respectively, and a mapping of the plurality of display elements torespective locations relative to the reference content item. The method3100 further includes presenting 3104 the package file by presenting3106 the reference content item and presenting 3108 the plurality ofdisplay elements at locations relative to the reference content itembased on the mapping. In some embodiments, the reference content item iscontextually relevant to the content of the plurality of mapped contentitems and a mapping of a first display element of the plurality ofdisplay elements to a first location relative to the reference contentitem is indicative of subject matter of a first mapped content itemassociated with the first display element. In some such embodiments, thegraphical reference image is a geographical reference image, and themapping of the first display element is indicative of a geographicalrelevance of the first mapped content. A process reference imagerepresentative of a process may be in the reference image, and themapping of the first display element is indicative of a contextualrelevance of the first mapped content to an operation of the process. Inother instances, or embodiments, the reference image may be a temporalreference image representative of a temporal sequence, and the mappingof the first display element is indicative of a contextual relevance ofthe first display element to a temporal location. In some embodiments,the temporal reference image is an image of at least a portion of acalendar.

FIG. 32 is a block flow diagram of a method 3200, according to anexample embodiment. The method 3200 is a method of authoring a packagefile including mappings of content item display elements to locationswithin a reference content item. The method 3200 includes receiving 3202a selection of a reference content item including data defininglocations within the reference content item and receiving 3204 at leastone content item, the content item including data identifying a locationwithin the reference content item. In some embodiments, the method 3200further includes mapping 3206 the content item to the location withinthe reference content item based on the data identifying the locationwithin the reference content item and generating 3208 and publishing apackage file including at least the reference content item, the contentitem, and the mapping of the content item to the location within thereference content item. In some embodiments, publishing the package fileincludes storing the generated package file on a computer readablemedium. The reference content item may include an animated media filedisplayable within a media presentation interface, such as a Flash®enabled user interface.

FIG. 33 is a block diagram of a computing device, according to anexample embodiment. One example computing device in the form of acomputer 3310 may include a processing unit 3302, memory 3304, removablestorage 3312, and non-removable storage 3314. Memory 3304 may includevolatile memory 3306 and non-volatile memory 3308. Computer 3310 mayinclude, or have access to, a computing environment that includes avariety of computer readable media, such as volatile memory 3306 andnon-volatile memory 3308, removable storage 3312 and non-removablestorage 3314. Computer storage includes random access memory (RAM), readonly memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) andelectrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flashmemory or other memory technologies, compact disc read-only memory (CDROM), Digital Versatile Disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage,magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or othermagnetic storage devices, or any other medium capable of storingcomputer-readable instructions. Computer 3310 may include, or haveaccess to, a computing environment that includes input 3316, output3318, and a communication connection 3320. The computer may operate in anetworked environment using the communication connection 3320 to connectto one or more remote computers, such as database servers. The remotecomputer may include a PC, server, router, network PC, a peer device orother common network display element, or the like. The communicationconnection may include a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network(WAN), the Internet, or other networks.

Computer-readable instructions stored on a computer readable medium areexecutable by the processing unit 3302 of the computer 3310. A harddrive, CD-ROM, and RAM are some examples of articles including acomputer readable medium. The computer-readable instructions typicallyinclude an operating system 3326 and a page description languagedocument reader application 3325, which may also include the ability towrite page description language documents. The computer-readableinstructions may also include one or more applications, which may beused to create and open content files packaged within page descriptionlanguage documents, such as package file 3328, and a development tool3330, which may be used to create presentation specifications.

An example of the page description language document reader application3325 is the ADOBE® ACROBAT® program available from ADOBE SYSTEMSINCORPORATED of San Jose, Calif. An example of the development tool 3330is the ADOBE® FLEX™ program that is also available from ADOBE SYSTEMSINCORPORATED. The FLEX™ program is a cross-platform development tool andframework for creating rich applications. Flex may be used to createpresentation specifications.

In typical embodiments, the computer 3310 includes a page descriptionlanguage document, such as package file 3328, including one or morecontent files. The package file 3328 may be stored in storage 3312,3314, held in memory 3304, downloaded over the communication connection3320, created using the page description language writer application3325, or created, stored, or received via another means. The packagefile 3328, in some embodiments, may include a presentation specificationincluding a presentation display element for each of the one or morecontent files. In some such embodiments, the page description languagereader application 3325 is operable to present a view of at least aportion of the package file 3328 as a function of the metadata and thepresentation specification. The presentation specification, wheninstantiated within a user interface of the page description languagereader application 3325, may be responsive to actions of a user. Theactions of a user may include gestures made within the user interfacewith a pointing device. The presentation specification, in response to auser action, may cause one or more content files of the package file3328 to be extracted and representations of the extracted content fileto be displayed. Such a package file representation typically includesat least a portion of the associated metadata describing a content file.

In some embodiments, the page description language reader application3325 includes one or more default presentation specifications capable ofdisplaying at least a portion of the metadata of package file 3328. Forexample, a default presentation specification, when selected by a user,such as through a menu option, may display data selected from themetadata including file name, file size, and a last saved date of eachcontent file packaged within a page description language document. Insome embodiments, a package file 3328 may include a reference to apresentation specification for use in displaying at least a portion ofthe package file. In such instances, the presentation specification maynot be included. The reference to the presentation specification may bea reference to a presentation specification included with the pagedescription language reader application 3325 or provide a reference to anetwork location, such as an Internet location via a URL, from which thepresentation specification may be downloaded for use. In someembodiments, when a presentation specification is downloaded, the pagedescription language reader application 3325 may cache a copy of thepresentation specification so it will not have to be downloaded againshould another package file reference the same presentationspecification.

In some embodiments, the presentation specification, when instantiatedwithin the page description language document reader application 3325,may invoke one or more methods of a system plug-in operable within thepage description language document reader application. In someembodiments, the plug-in may be the FLASH® Player plug-in available fromADOBE SYSTEMS INCORPORATED.

It is emphasized that the Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R.§1.72(b) requiring an Abstract that will allow the reader to quicklyascertain the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. It issubmitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpretor limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

In the foregoing Detailed Description, various features are groupedtogether in a single embodiment to streamline the disclosure. Thismethod of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intentionthat the claimed embodiments of the inventive subject matter requiremore features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as thefollowing claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than allfeatures of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claimsare hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claimstanding on its own as a separate embodiment.

It will be readily understood to those skilled in the art that variousother changes in the details, material, and arrangements of the partsand method stages which have been described and illustrated in order toexplain the nature of the inventive subject matter may be made withoutdeparting from the principles and scope of the inventive subject matteras expressed in the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: a bus; a memory coupled tothe bus; at least one processor coupled to the bus; an authoring modulestored in the memory and executable on the at least one processor to:instantiate a package file; associate a presentation specification withthe package file, the presentation specification to be rendered by apresentation application to present a representation of display elementsof the package file, the presentation specification includinginstructions executable to provide user interactive displayfunctionality for the display elements responsive to user input, thedisplay functionality including an animation function to animatetransitions between display elements; associate a content file with adisplay element of the package file; receive input specifying a packagefile option; and publish the package file in accordance with the packagefile option; a presentation module, separate from the authoring module,stored in the memory and executable on the processor to: present a viewof the of the package file, the view to be generated as a function ofthe presentation specification; and wherein: the authoring module andthe presentation module communicate with one another via an applicationprogramming interface, and the authoring module is to communicatechanges to be reflected in the view of the package file to thepresentation module via the application programming interface; thepresentation module is to receive viewing user input to modifyproperties of a portion of a presentation specification view and thedisplay element of the presentation specification in view of dataincluded within the published package file.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the package file includes a plurality of options that, whenconfigured, define a portion of a presentation specification view. 3.The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of package file optionsinclude a display option.
 4. The system of claim 2, wherein the portionof the presentation specification view includes at least one of: a coverpage view; a header to be included in the presentation specificationview; content of the header; and a color scheme for the presentationspecification view.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the package fileis a page description language document, and the presentationspecification and the content file are embedded within the pagedescription language document.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein thepublishing of the package file includes: embedding the content file, thepresentation specification, the display elements and associations tocontent files, and the package file option within the package file; andstoring the package file.
 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the storingof the package file includes storing the package file on a serveraccessible over a network.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein thepublishing of the package file includes: communicating the package fileover a communications network from the system to a further secondsystem.
 9. The system of claim 1 wherein the view of the package filewithin the presentation module is to receive data from the authorizingmodule via the application programming interface to modify and add datato defined display elements of the presentation specification.
 10. Thesystem of claim 9, wherein: the authoring module is to receive input tomodify properties of the view of the presentation specification.
 11. Amethod comprising: in an authoring module: receiving and embedding acontent file in a package file; receiving a selection of a presentationspecification and embedding the presentation specification within thepackage file; associating the content file with a display element of thepresentation specification; populating a portion of the presentationspecification as a function of option input; publishing the packagefile; and wherein the presentation specification includes instructionsexecutable to provide user interactive display functionality for thedisplay element responsive to user input and the associated contentfile, the display functionality including an animation function toanimate transitions between display elements; in a presentation module,separate from the authoring module: presenting a view of the of thepackage file, the view to be generated as a function of the presentationspecification; and wherein: the authoring module and the presentationmodule communicate with one another via an application programminginterface, and the authoring module is to communicate changes to bereflected in the view of the package file to the presentation module viathe application programming interface; the presentation module is toreceive viewing user input to modify properties of the portion of apresentation specification view and the display element of thepresentation specification in view of data included within the publishedpackage file.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the receiving andembedding of the content file in the package file includes receiving andembedding a folder including the content file in the package file. 13.The method of claim 12, further comprising: associating a first embeddedfolder with a first display element of a first presentationspecification; associating a second presentation specification with thefirst embedded folder for display of a further content file included inthe first embedded folder; and associating the further content file ofthe embedded folder with a display element of the second presentationspecification.
 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the package file is apage description language file.
 15. The method of claim 11, wherein thecontent file is a file other than a page description language file. 16.The method of claim 11, wherein the populating of the portion of thepresentation specification includes: receiving input defining a view fordisplay when the package file is initially displayed within anapplication.
 17. The method of claim 11, wherein the publishing of thepackage file includes storing the package file on a data storage device,the package file including at least: the presentation specification; thecontent file; metadata defining the association of the content file withthe display element of the package file; and metadata representative ofthe received presentation specification option input.
 18. The method ofclaim 11, wherein the package file, when published, is executable withina presentation application to provide views including representations ofthe content file embedded therein.
 19. The method of claim 18, whereinthe package file is a page description language file and thepresentation application is a page description language file readingapplication.
 20. The method of claim 11, wherein the presentationspecification includes a media element renderable by a media playerinterface of an application to display the package file.
 21. A systemcomprising: a memory device; a processor coupled to the memory; apackage file held in the memory device, the package file including: afirst presentation specification including display elements; contentitem files; and metadata associating the content item files withrespective display elements of the first presentation specification anddefining display properties of the first presentation specification; apresentation module held in the memory and executable by the processorto: render a representation of at least a portion of the package file asa function of the first presentation specification, the content itemfiles, and the meta data; and present the package file in an authoringmode to receive input with regard to display elements and respectiveassociations to content items; the presentation module is to receiveviewing user input to modify properties of a portion of a presentationspecification view and the display element of the presentationspecification in view of data included within the published packagefile; an authoring module, separate from the presentation module, heldin the memory and executable by the processor to: receive a selection ofa second presentation specification; communicate with the presentationmodule via an interface to reflect changes with respect to the displayedrepresentation of the package file and received in the authoring module,and to populate changes received from the presentation module to theauthoring module; and publish modified and created package files; andwherein the first and second presentation specification each includeinstructions executable by a viewing application to cause the respectivepresentation specification to be instantiated and displayed within agraphical user interface of the viewing application and to provide userinteractive display functionally including animated transitions betweendisplay elements when presented according to the respective presentationspecifications.
 22. The system of claim 21, wherein the presentationmodule and authoring module are modules of a software application heldin the memory device.
 23. The system of claim 21, wherein the first andsecond presentation specification each include instructions executableby the viewing application to modify an appearance of the respectivepresentation specification in response to a determinable event.
 24. Thesystem of claims 21, wherein the viewing application is a pagedescription language reader application.
 25. A non-transitorycomputer-readable medium, with instructions thereon, comprising: anauthoring module, which when executed causes a computer to: instantiatea package file; associate presentation specification with the packagefile, the presentation specification to be rendered by a presentationapplication to present a representation of display elements of thepackage file, the presentation specification including instructionsexecutable to provide user interactive display functionality for thedisplay elements responsive to user input, the display functionalityincluding an animation function to animate transitions between displayelements; associate a content file with a display element of the packagefile; receive input specifying a package file option; and publish thepackage file in accordance with the package file option; a presentationmodule, separate from the authoring module, which when executed causes acomputer to: present a view of the of the package file, the view to begenerated as a function of the presentation specification; and wherein:the authoring module and the presentation module communicate with oneanother via an application programming interface, and the authoringmodule is to communicate changes to be reflected in the view of thepackage file to the presentation module via the application programminginterface; the presentation module is to receive viewing user input tomodify properties of a portion of a presentation specification view andthe display element of the presentation specification in view of dataincluded within the published package file.
 26. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 25, the instructions when furtherexecuted by the computer: receive input in the second user interfaceportion defining properties of the presentation specification; andwherein the page description language file further includes datarepresentative of the input defining the properties of the presentationspecification.
 27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim25, wherein the presentation specification further includes instructionsexecutable within the page description language reader application tomodify a displayed appearance of the presentation specification inresponse to an event.